Automatic classifying device



Jan. 17, 1928. 1,656,330

W. D. KMENTT ET AL AUTOMATIC CLASSIFYING DEVICE Filed NOV. 50. 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet l 6 Jan. 17, 1928.

1,656,330 w. D. KMENTT ET AL AUTOMATIC CLAS S IFYING DEVICE v. 50, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 17, 1928. 1,656,330

W. D. KMENTT ET AL AUTOMATIC CLASS IFYING DEVICE Filed Nov. 50, 1925 II Shgets-Sheet 3 Jan. 17, 1928. 1,656,330

W. D. KMENTT ET AL 1 AUTQMATIC CLASSIFYING DEVICE Filed Nov. 50. 1925 Jan. 17, 1928.

' W. D. KMENTT ET AL AUTOMATIC CLASSIFYING DEVICE 6 Sheets-$heet 5 lllllilllllll ...L. Ww

q l I I l l I I n d Nov.30. 1925 3x EN Jan. 17, 1928;

' 1,656,330 W. D. KMENTT ET AL AUTOMATIC CLASSIFYING DEVICE Filed Nov. 50, 1925 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 \Q iii; Q

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UNITED STATES 1,656,330 PATENT OFFICE.

WALDEMAR D. KMENTT AND HARRY E. WANER, OF AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE B. F. GOODRIGH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC OLASSIFYING DEVICE.

Application filed November 30, 1925. Serial No. 72,203.

p This invention relates to automatic classifying devices and more particularly to apparatus adapted to weigh successive articles and automatically to sort them into difierent classes according to their weight, al-

though not wholly limited thereto.

Our general objects are to provide an improved machine adapted rapidly, accuratelyand dependably to classify or sort a succession of articles. A further object is to obtain a sorting of the 'articles into a large number of classes in the same, continuous operation of the machine. Another object is to provide for the sorting of art-icles into classes each having a very short range as to the weight or other characteristic of articles therein. Another object is H to provide a machine adapted to weigh and sort rubber-wound golf-ball centers or the like Without so roughly treating them as to dislodge the anchored end of the winding. Still further objects are compactness and simplicity of mechanism, facility of removal of'the classified articles from the apparatus, and continuous operation of the machine while the articles are supplied thereto and removed therefrom.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of our preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to the wei hing and sorting of spherical objects or lialls such as golf-ball centers, parts being sectioned and parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, with parts sectioned and'parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 33 of Fig.1. I

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 of Fig. 5;. p

Fig. 5 is avertical section on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a vertical, transverse section on line 6-6 of Figs. 1 or 2.

Fig. 7 is. a vertical, transverse section on line 7-7 of Figs. 1 or 2.

\ Fig; 8 is a vertical section on line 88 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on line 99 of Fig. 1 or 8.

Fig. 10 is a diagram of the electric wiring.

General description.

Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises a rotary ho per 10 adapted to deliver the articles to lie sorted, such as the balls 11, 11, in timed succession, through a stationary chute 12, onto a circular table surface 13 formed upon a casting 13 which constitutes a part of the framing of the machine, said table surface being surrounded by an upstanding flange 14 to retain the balls thereon. A rotary sweep 15 timed with the hopper is adapted to receive the balls 11 between its arms and to propel them intermittently upon the table surface 13 to deliver them in timed succession onto the pan 16 of a weighing device 17 and to push each ball from the pan and into a discharge chute 18 as it brings the next ball onto the pan.-

The chute 18 is connected, through an elbow chute 19, with an inclined race-way 2O having a series of hinged lifting doors 21, 21 mounted in openings 22, 22 formed in its floor, automatic means being provided for momentarily opening one or another of the doors, according to the registered weight of the approaching ball, to permit the latter to drop through the floor of the race-way and be received by the proper one of a series of receptacles placed below the respective openings 22.

The means for selectively opening the doors 21. comprises a liquid-cell contactor 23 composed of dielectric material such as hard rubber and formed with an elongated cell 24; (Fig. 2) and with a series of short cells 25, 25' ranged along the elongated cell and separated therefrom by a wall 26 and from each other by walls 27, 27. The said cells are partially filled with mercury and means is provided for periodically lifting and lowering the contactor, in timed relation to the mounting of the successive balls upon the Weighing pan 16 and their removal therefrom, to cause the mercury in the elon ated cell 24 and that in one or another-o the shorter cells 25 to make and break contact with the respective arms of 28,29 ofaforked indicator 30 constituting a part of the weighing device 17, and thereby to close and open Hopper structure.

The hopper 10 is substantially barrel shaped, is formed with axialopenings in its end walls, such as that shown at 32 in Fig. 8, and is provided at its middle with a sectional ring-gear 33 flanked by bearing surfaces 34, 34 by which it is peripherally journaled within a set of three .spool-shaped' gins of the respective end portions 40, 40 of the hopper (Fig. 8), by bolts 41, 41.

ihe two rings 38 are so formed as to provide obliquely disposed pockets 42, 42, on the inner face of their combined structure, said pockets being open to.the interior of the hopper and having their mouths approximately flush with the inner surfaces of the members 40 of the hopper. Each-of the pockets is adapted to receive one of the balls 11, but only one, from a supply of the same within the hopper, as the hopper is rotated counterclock-wise as viewed in Fig. 7 to carry the ball upward to the mouth of the chute 12, and to permit theball to roll by gravity from the pocket into the chute 12 when it has risen above the level of the latter, as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 7, the chute 12 being stationarily mounted upon a bracket 43 and having a flared receiving-end portion within the hopper 10.

Scale-loading device.

The rotary sweep 15, for propelling the balls upon the table surface 13 from the delivery end of the chute 12 to the pan 16 of the weighing device, is secured upon the upper end of a vertical shaft 44 journaled in the framing of the machine and having secured upon its lower end, below the bearing,

a star-wheel 45 adapted to be intermittently driven by a stud-roller 46 mounted upon the end of an arm 47 which is secured to a vertical shaft 48 journaled in the machine framing. Each of the arms of the sweep 15 has an anti-friction roller 49 journaled thereon in position to engage the ball 11 to propel it over the table surface 13. To prevent over-running of the sweep 15 a plunger 50 (Fig; 8),backed by a spring 51, is mounted in one arm of the sweep and is adapted to enter one of a series of depressions 52 in the table surface 13 at the end of each rotative movement. and to be dislodged therefrom by the succeeding forced movement of the sweep.

"At a point on the delivery side of the scale pan 16 the table 13 is formed. with an opening 53 adapted to permit the successive balls to drop therethrough into the chute. 18,

which is mounted upon the framing below the table 13, as clearly shown in Figs. 8

and 9. y Sorting ale vices.

Each of the doors 21 is provided with an arm 54 projecting laterally from its hinge pin 21 and having adjustably mounted thereon a counter-weight 55 adapted to urge the door toward its lifted or open position see Figs. 2 and 8). For latching the door in closed position, against the force of the counter-weight 55, a three armed lever, having arms 56, 57 and 58, is fulcrumed upon a stub shaft 59 projecting from a downwardly extended side wall of the race-way 20, the arm 56 being formed as a cam-latch detent and adapted to engage an arm 60 secured upon the adjacent end of the hinge-pin 21 of the door 21. The arm 57 has adjustably mounted thereon a counter-weight 61 adapted to urge the lever toward latching position, and the arm 58 has its lower end in position to be attracted by the electromagnet 31 to unlatch the arm 60 and thus permit the door 21 to be opened by the counterweight 55. An'eccentric stop 62 (Fig. 8) is adjustably secured to the wall of the raceway 20 in position to keep the arm 58 close enough to the electromagnet 31 to be actuated thereby. a

For closing such door as has been opened for the reception of the ball after each weighing operation, a bar 63 is slidably mounted in brackets 64, 64 secured to the side of the race-way and has secured thereon adjacent each of the doors 21 a cam plate 65 adapted to co-act with a stud 66 projecting from the arm 60 to limit the opening of the door 21 and to return the arm 60 to its latched position, the bar 63 being urged toward latching position, to the right as viewed in Fig. 8, by a pull spring 67 (Fig. 8) connecting its actuating lever with a stud 68 projecting from the race-way structure 20.

For pulling the bar 63 in the opposite direction, to withdraw the several cam plates 65 simultaneously from their studs 66, and thus permit any one or another of the doors 21 to be opened, the end of the bar 63 adj acent the chute 19 is provided with a pin 69 straddled by the forked lower end of an arm 70 of a two-armed lever which is fulcrumed upon the structure of the race-way 20 at 71 and has its other arm 72 provided with a cam stud 73 which is held by the force ,on the structure of the race-way 20 and adjacent the lower end of the chute a gate 77 (Fig. 7 is pivoted at 78 upon the framing. PrO ect-ing laterally from the gate adjacent its pivot is an arm 79 connected with the framing by a pull spring 80 adapted to urge the gate into closed' position with relation to the lower end or mouth of the spout 7 6, to cause the balls to accumulate in-the spout at such times as a receptacle 81, normally mounted in position to receive balls from the spout, is removed from the machine, as in emptying it of balls. The gate 77is formed at its outer end with a lateral extension 82 adapted to be engaged by the container 81,

when the latter is slid into place upon itssupporting rails, 83, '83,,to open the gate against the force'of the spring 80, to permit the balls to fall from the spout 76.into the container. A guard 84 of wire netting or the like is mounted in a position to direct the balls into the container and to prevent their bounding therefrom.

The elbow chute 19 may be provided with an internal balile 85, as shown in Fig. 8, to cause successive balls to assume the same position in the chute at that point and thus to avoid such non-uniformity in the speed of the balls from that point onward as would otherwisesometimes result from some of the balls bounding from side to side of the chute.

' Weighing dem'ce.

The weighing device 17 comprises a scale beam 86 fulcrumed at 87, to which the downwardly projecting indicator 30 is secured in a radial position with respect to the fulcrum 87. The pan 16 is formed with a central depression 16 and is supported by a goose-neck rod 88 which hangs from a knifeedge support 89 upon one arm'of the scale beam, and this arm also has pivoted thereon at 90 a downwardly extending rod 91 having upon its lower end a piston-like, perforated baffle-plate 92, mounted in a dash pot 93 which is secured in the frame of the machine, for damping oscillations of the scale beam.

The other arm of the scale beam has a weight 94 fixed thereon, and an adjustable weight 95 mounted upon a screw 96, the lat-- ter beingdisposed lengthwise of the beam and fixed in an opening therein, for so balancing the scale by adjustment of the weight 95 as to cause the indicator 30 to stand in a determinate, approximately vertical position, withits lower end directly over the middle of one of the small cells 25, when a test weight serving as a standard is mounted in the scale pan 16, the downwardly extending indicator 30 causing the center of gravity of the scale beam assembly to be below the fulcrum 87.

For raising and lowering the center of gravity in order to obtain a determinate dehsi'red displacement of the indicator 30, co-

scale beam,,the screw 98 being opposite to the indicator 30 and disposed radially with.

relation to the fulcrum 87, so that adjustments of the weight 97 will merely raise or lower the center of gravity of the assembly,

without affecting the balance or loading,

which is obtained by means of the weights 94 and 95.

' The elongated cell 24 of the mercury container 23 is provided with a suitable connection 2? for maintaining electrical connection between the mercury in the'cell 24 and a suitable source of current, such as a transformer 24 associated with the power line of the 'motor 131, and suitable means including connectors 99, 99, binding posts 100. 100, and connectors 100, 100 and 100", 100" are provided to complete respective circuits through the small cells 25 and the respective electromagnets 31, so that a circuit will be closed through one or another of the said electromagnets Whenever the lifting of the mercury container 23 causes the forked end of the indicator 30 to connect the mercury in the elongated cell24: with the mercury in one or another of the short cells 25. The arm 29 of the indicator is pointed and the upper edges of the partitions 27 between the cells 25 are beveled, so as to insure entry of the arm into the cells.

A For lifting the mercury container 23 atextending downward through a bushing 103 mounted in the framing of the machine, said stem having journaled upon its lower end. a cam roller 104 adapted to be engaged and to be lifted and lowered by a cam 105 mounted upon an arm 106 (Figs. 6 and 9) project ing horizontally from the shaft 48. The head 101 (Fig. 8) has a pair of guide pins 107, 107 secured thereto and projecting downward with a sliding fit into respective guide' apertures 108, 108 formedin the frame-casting 13, to prevent rotation of the head 101 and the mercury container 23 thereon as the latter are raised and lowered. A compression spring 109 (Fig. 8) is mounted between the bearing of the stem 102 and a plate 110 secured to the lower end of the stem, to urge the mercury container toward its lowermost position, where it is stopped by contact of the head 101 with the frame-casting upon which it is mounted, as the cam 105 passes from under the roller 104.

For holding the scale pan 16 steady while one ball 11 is shoved therefrom and another is mounted thereon by the sweep 15, the pan has secured thereto adownwardly projecting knurled stem 111 (see especially Figs. 8 and 9) adapted to be grasped at appropriate times by a pairof gripper jaws 112, 113, constituting an intermittent stabilizer for the pan. These jaws are fulcrumed upon the bushing 103 between the frame-casting and a bracket 114 (see Fig. 8) secured thereto by dowels such as that shown at screw bolts 116, 116. To compel the jaws 112, 113 to close equally from opposite sides upon I the stem 111 of the scale pan, and thus hold it in a determinate, central position, the jaws are provided with extensions rearward of their hinge, these extensions having pivoted thereon at 117, .117 respective toggle arms 118, 118, which are hinged together at their other ends by a pin 119 which extends through slots 120, 121 formed'in the. framecasting and in the bracket 114 respectively, the slots being so formed as to permit opening and closing of the jaws while compelling them to move equally from and toward a central position. For urging the jaws toward opened position the toggle arms 118 are connected by a pull spring 122, and for closing them, against theforce of the spring, a cam 123 is mounted upon the shaft 48 and adapted to coact with a cam roller 124 (Fig. 9) mounted upon'the under-face of the jaw 113.

Driving mechanism.

the sweep 15, the contactor 23, the grippers 112, 113 and the doors 21 are all thus adapted to be actuated in determinate, timed relation.-

Operation.

In the operation of the machine, the shafts 125 and 48 being continuously driven by the motor 131, a supply of the balls 11 are placed in the hopper 10 through the opening in the end wall thereof farthest from the weighing device. As the hopper 10 rotates the pockets 42 pass in succession under the supply of balls and each-pocket receives one of the balls therein, as is shown clearly in Fig. 7 and by reason of the oblique position of the pocket the ball is retained therein until it is lifted to the upper part of the orbit of the hopper and there rolls from the pocket into the chute12, through which it descends by gravity onto the table surface 13 the balls thus being caused to arrive upon the table surface in timed succession, and the 115 and by timing of the sweep 15 being such as to position it to receive the successive balls in the successive spaces between its arms.

At each -stepping forward of the sweep 15, one of its arms sweeps past the scale pan 16 to remove therefrom any ball that may be occupying the pan and to discharge it through the chute 18, while the following arm of the sweep propels the succeeding ball onto the pan. The indexing of the sweep 15 at the end of each movement is such as to hold its adjacent arms out of contact with the ball on the scale pan, the ball automatically settling into the depression 16 of the scale pan when it is propelled onto the latter and thus moving slightly ahead of the propelling arm of. the sweep, as will be clear upon reference to Fig. 2.

The grippers 112, 113, timed by the cam 123, grasp the stem 111 of the scale pan and hold the latter stationary throughout the indexing movement of the sweep 15 which dislodges one ball from the scale pan and mounts another thereon. The grippers then release the scale pan for the weighing operation, permitting the indicator 30 to assume a position determined by the weight of the ball,- whereupon the cam 106, engaging the roller 104, thus momentarily lifts and then lowers the contactor 23 and thereby closes a circuit through the cell 24 and such one of the cells 25 as is directly beneath the indicator. Such 'closing of the circuit actuates the corresponding electromagnet 31 and causes that one of the doors 21 to be opened which is controlled by the cell 25 through which the circuit is closed, the face 74 of the cam disk 75 having forced the bar 63 to the left as viewed in Fig. 8, to permit the opening of the door 21. The next succeeding movement of the sweep 15 dispatches the ball 11 through the chute structure 18, 19 into the runway 20, where it falls through the particular opening 22 which has been uncovered and drops through the adjacent spout 76 into the receptacle 81 thereunder, except when'the receptacle 81 is not in place. At such times the absence of the receptacle permits the spring 80 to hold the gate 7 7 in position to close the bottom end of the spout 7 6, so that the balls accumulate in the latter until the gate 77 is re-opened by replacement of the receptacle.

At a time after the discharge of the ball 11 from the scale pan suflicient to permit the ball to travel the whole length of the runway 20, as in case the farthest of the doors is the one that is opened, the cam face 74 permits the spring 67 to actuate the bar63 to close and latch such one of the doors 21 as has been opened for the reception of the ball.

This cycle as just described is continuously repeated, additional balls being poured into the hopper 10 and removed from the recep: tacles 81 while the machine continues to operate, and the numerous advantages exnesasso pressed and implied in the above statements of objects are thus obtained.

Our invention is isceptibleof various modifications within its scope and we do not wholly limit our claims to the specific construction herein shown and described by way of illustration.

We claim:

1. Classifying apparatus comprising a metric device including a pivoted registering part adapted to assume different ositions about its pivot in accordance with t e character of difierent articles mounted in the device and without contact except atits pivot, feeler means mounted for movement into 00- action with said part after the latter has'as sumed its registering position and from a direction transverse to the registering move-' ment of said part, and means controlled by said feeler means for sorting the successive articles passing from the said metric device, the said feeler means comprising a pair of electric contact members insulated from each other but adapted'to be connected in circuit by contact with the said registering part.

2. Classifying apparatus comprising a metric device including a registering part adapted to assume different positions in accordance with the character of different articles mounted in the device, feeler means mounted for movement lnto coaction with sald part after the latter has assumed its registering position and from a direction transverse to the registering movement of said part, and means controlled by said feeler means for sorting the successive articles passing from the said metric device, the said feeler means comprising a set of liquid-containing electric contact cells and a contact member adapted to make electric connection withthe liquid contents of the said cells selectively upon the movement of the feeler means into association with the registerin part.

3. Apparatus as de ed in claim 2 in which one of the cells extends along a plurality of the other cells and in which the contact member is forked and is thus adapted to connect the first mentioned cell with the other cells selectively. 1

4. Classifying apparatus comprising a pivoted weigher structure having a registering part adapted to'be swung against gravity to different positions according to the weight of successive articles weighed, a weight mounted upon the said structure for such ad justment as to raise and lower the center of gravity of the assembly, feeler means mounted for-movement into coaction with said registering part from a direction transverse to the latters registering movement, and means controlled by the said feeler means for sortling successive weighed articles passing from 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which the pan-holding means comprises a pair of gripper members mounted to grip a part of the scale pan structureto hold the pan in central position, and each to be removed from its pan-holding position in each cycle of operation.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 29th day of October, 1925.

WALDEMAR D. KMENTT. HARRY E. WANER. 

